Blindsided
by Xaphrin
Summary: She gave him more than just the tools to complete the spell, and in return he used her for more than just a vessel to complete it.


**Blindsided**

"It's the last part of the spell."

"Oh."

"Are you…" He didn't finished his question, and a long pause wove between them as Raven blinked. She was desperately trying to keep a hold on on consciousness and not let it fly away to places she shouldn't have daydreamed about in front of him. Color filled her face and she cleared her throat, trying not to think of precisely what she should say to make this any less awkward. Nothing. There was nothing she could possibly say that would stop the emotions around her from twisting into something so uncomfortable.

He seemed to finish his question finally. "Is it something you are afraid of?"

"I understand why it needs to happen." Raven chose to circumvent the question Malchior had asked her by trying to draw attention to she sheer oddity of the request he put in front of her. "But, I am trying to understand the logistics of it. I mean, you're…"

"Not quite human?" he interjected. Malchior chuckled and looked down at himself, examining some of the wear-and-tear in his paper form. "Yes, I know." Pause. "It's not completely impossible. There is a small pocket-dimension where I still have control over myself and the world around me. It's not much, or even very large, but when I retreat there, I can be myself again. I can be fully human… with all my parts working as they should be. If you want, I can bring you there and we can complete the spell."

"Oh."

He was so pragmatic about it, that it seemed to almost take the romance and intimacy out of the act. Raven fidgeted with the edge of her cloak, looking past him to the small pile of books and magical ingredients they had both already assembled. It was the last thing they needed to complete the spell: the blood of a maiden. Or, rather, the blood of a maiden's maidenhead. Which meant… Her thoughts drifted off and cheeks turned red again as she dropped the edge of her cloak.

"You seem nervous."

"I am." She saw no reason to deny it.

He smiled softly. "Because of what you fear?"

Raven shook her head. "Because I am… excited?" Perhaps. In truth, she doubted the validity of her own emotions. This was all happening so fast that it felt like her head was spinning and the walls around her curved and flexed as she drowned in the possibility of what was to come. The time they had spent together had only served to bring her closer to him, and every passing moment her appreciation and affection for him deepened into something she couldn't quite place.

Until now.

She felt the unusual bubble of excitement rise into her chest, swirling around her heart like a cold, soft wind. It found strange places to twist and ribbon into; places that she hadn't known existed. There were holes in her heart that were filled by this wind, gears and pulleys that had never moved before, were suddenly swinging in full force, making her feel strange and lightheaded. Her whole body moved with a new energy, and it was exciting and strange. She wanted nothing more than to indulge in this feeling, to experience it over and over again until she broke apart from the energy it created within her.

At that thought, her hands shook and she buried them into the folds of her comforter, trying to look cool and collected, instead of the inexperienced young woman she knew she was.

His eyes met hers and he laughed slowly and softly. "Raven, you have no need to fear what you are feeling. It's completely natural." His paper body stood from its crouched position, but still confined to the magic within the circle. "It has been a long time since you have had the opportunity, I would dare say the _ability_, to feel something at all. Indulging and enjoying these sensations and emotions is not a crime."

"I know." She looked away and rubbed her arm. "It's just… I'm not used to… _this_."

"This?" His painted eyebrows lifted in curiosity. "As in…?

"Attention." She raised her eyes to meet his and felt red stain her cheeks. "Attraction."

Malchior's expression softened and his arm moved to reach out for her, his paper skin unraveling as he crossed the barrier between his safe space and the world beyond. He sighed in defeat and pulled his hand back, returning to his position on the floor. Moments of awkward glances and pained silences wove between them, somehow simultaneously bringing them together and pulling them apart at the same time.

"Will I be safe in this other dimension?" Raven's words seemed to be swallowed by the silence.

He jerked, as if surprised by her question. "Safe? Oh, you fear the effect this will have on your powers?" Malchior nodded in understanding. "It is absolutely safe for you, neither of us can be harmed or do harm to each other… unless we wish it."

That seemed an odd qualifier, and Raven felt the question rise into her throat before she could filter it. "Would we wish it?"

He gave a quick nod, his eyes smiling as if they held a secret joke she was unaware of. "If that was something you wanted, Raven, sometimes pain can be a pleasurable experience if performed in the right way… although I don't usually suggest it for your _first_ experience."

Raven looked away, trying not to imagine the feeling of claws running down her skin as his breath filled her ears, whispering dark things into her ears as they… she shook her head, trying to cast off the blush that was darkening her pale skin.

"I think I should go get dinner." She stood up from her position on the bed and moved to the door, casting off the images of she had seen in the darkness of her imagination.

"You have been with me for a long time." He glanced up at her. "I'll be here waiting."

Her hands paused on the door frame and she looked over her shoulder at his slender form. He continued to stare at the empty spot where she had been sitting, as if lost in thought. Raven smiled and felt that wind slither through her chest again, robbing her of her breath until she pulled herself away from the comfort of his presence. As she walked through the door and into another life she lead, she felt the threads of his thrall pull taut, as if he was trying to pull her back to him.

Raven allowed herself the small, girlish pleasure of holding her hand against her heart, feeling it beat like a frightened bird against her chest. Was she really going to go through with this? Was she going to let him claim that part of her soul and history? If she let him do this, then there was no going back. He would be part of her forever. But if she chose to ignore his request, then he would remain locked in the book forever.

Someone was going to be damned no matter her decision.

"Wha'cha doin?"

Beast Boy's somewhat shrill voice broke her coveted silence and Raven jumped in surprise, turning around to face her teammate with an expression that would have wilted flowers. He just smiled up at her, rocking back-and-forth on his heels. Raven sighed. He either enjoyed flirting with death, or was completely oblivious to her glare.

"I'm going to the kitchen for dinner. I do eat occasionally." Raven pulled her hood tightly around her face and glared at the empty space in front of her, feeling Beast Boy decide to walk next to her down the hallway. She stopped and stared at him. "Why are you following me?"

"I'm not." He shrugged. "The kitchen is technically all of ours, and I'm hungry too."

"And I can't walk alone and in peace?"

"I guess…" He eyed her carefully, as if trying to determine what stick was wedged up her ass today. "What's your deal, Raven? We've barely seen you in two weeks. It's like you're so wrapped up in your own self and that stupid book that you can't be bothered with the rest of us. And when we do see you, you're a total bitch."

Bitch? She was a bitch? A spike of ice froze the soft push of air that had twisted in her chest and she turned and looked at him with wide eyes. His face remained stony, although there was a slight twitch at the edge of his lips, indicating that he might have felt some iota of remorse.

He reached out for her. "Raven, I-"

"Thanks for that analysis of my personality." Raven interrupted his apology and pushed past him in the hallway, moving as far away as she could. "Why don't you just leave the bitch to herself and go find something to do without annoying her?"

"Raven!" He called after her, but she chose not to respond to him.

The darkness of the hall swallowed her and she disappeared into the silence, finding solace in the fact that she was alone again. Staring at her shaking hands as they peeked out from the edges of her cloak, she somehow fought against the urge to turn around and run back to the sanctuary of her room, and the comfort of the only person who understood her. It wasn't like she needed him, she could rely on herself.

Could she?

Raven pushed her hair out of her face, feeling something warm and wet slide down her face. Tears? She hadn't cried since… when had it been? Since she left her home in Azarath? Maybe, even then it hadn't seemed like tears of sadness or fear, more like a feeling of freedom and the promise of something new. But these were tears of something else entirely. Her emotions were already a clustered mess, adding Beast Boy's thoughtless and rude comments on top of everything made her feel hopeless.

_They don't understand you, Raven._

It was true. Everything Malchior had said was true. She was misunderstood, and she was left trying to explain herself and her actions towards her teammates and friends. This interaction was just proof of her alienation within the team. It was only recently that she had found comfort and sanctuary in someone like her, someone who was just as alienated. It was in their differences that they had grown a bond and developed something between them. She wanted to put her faith in him, to give him everything he asked for.

So, what was holding her back?

"I'm sorry."

Beast Boy's timid voice broke her silence again and Raven turned to glare at him. "I don't need your apology, Beast Boy."

"Yes, you do." He reached out and brushed a tear from her cheek with the back of his hand. Warmth filled her face at the touch as he looked into her eyes. "Otherwise you wouldn't be so upset."

Raven smacked his hand away and bit back a snarl at him. "Don't try and patronize me."

"I don't even know what that word means, Raven." He sighed and rolled his eyes, blatantly ignoring the way her magic curled around her fingertips. "Look, I didn't mean to call you the b-word, Raven. I didn't mean it, and you know that. It's just…" He shuffled his feet and looked down at them. "It's just that lately you've been holed up in your creepy room with your creepy books, ignoring the rest of us. You have friends out here in the real world, you know. Real people, not some crummy old book you keep hiding from us."

Raven raised an eyebrow, grinding her teeth together to keep from screaming. "You are not helping."

"I'm serious, Raven… we're your friends."

"I am aware of this… occasionally. But butting into my privacy and my life isn't going to make me want to try and develop better relationships with you or the rest of the team." Raven turned away from him again, feeling his frustrated sadness wash over her. He was upset, and she hated leaving any of her friends like that. "Look, Beast Boy, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but leave me alone. If I want to have a relationship with you or our friends, I'll do it in my own way on my own terms, okay?"

He sighed and took a step back out of her space, finally admitting defeat. "Okay, Raven. Whatever you want." He started to slink back down the hall, his emotions a veritable mess of guilt, anger, and frustration. Finally, he paused and turned around to look at her. "We're your friends, Raven, just… don't ever forget that, okay?"

That seemed a strange thing to say to her. She gave an affirming nod. "I won't."

"Thanks."

And that was the end of their conversation as he disappeared into the darkness of the hall again. Raven watched his shadowed form move with mild confusion and curiosity. He rarely apologized to her, rarely tried to make some kind of effort to remind her of the camaraderie between her and her teammates, and yet he had gone out of the way to let her know she had friends. To remind her that they cared about her.

Raven sighed and ran a hand through her hair again. Had she really been spending that much time with Malchior? So much time that her friends and teammates seemed like strangers to her all over again. She knew, logically, that she was supposed to have some contact with the outside world, and that she couldn't spend her entire life holed up in her room like some kind of recluse. But at the same time, she feared the separation between her and Malchior. There was so much growing between them, and she felt alive because of it. She felt excited at the prospect of finally having someone to confide in her, someone to talk to (and actually listen), and someone who accepted her for who she was. He made her feel whole, like no one or no thing had before.

Raven ignored the call of the kitchen and returned to her bedroom, finding Malchior curled around a book, resting his head on its open pages. That soft, cool wind returned to her chest and she reached over the magic of the circle (careful not to break the line), and ran a finger down the back of his head. He stirred slightly, but did not move or wake. She smiled softly and shed her cloak and uniform before crawling under her own covers and letting herself succumb to sleep.

)O(

"You're here early."

Raven blinked in shock and looked at the room around her, feeling her head swim as if she was drunk or dizzy. Where in the world was she? The last thing she truly remembered was talking with Beast Boy about their friendship, and now she was in a strange, foreign room with windows that looked out onto an alien landscape that she had no memory of. Tall, dark mountains peaked in the distance and constellations that looked strange and warped filled most of the window.

It was absolutely certain that this wasn't her room, or anywhere she might have been familiar with, but there was still something strangely comforting about it. The soft smell of old books and charred wood, mingled with the smell of cool, dark shadows. Tall stone walls rose all around her, stretching into an arched ceiling coated in an intricate mosaic of tiny glass tiles depicting Malchior slaying the dread dragon Rorek. Green and purple glass flames caught the thin light of the candles scattered around the room, reflecting it back towards Raven's curious stare. Minutes passed as she examined the scene, never once realizing that Rorek had approached her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Gorgeous." She finally tore her stare away from the ceiling to see Malchior's tall form moving through the room like a shadow of his own. His hair was beautiful and silver in the faint glow from the candles and the fire in the fireplace, but his eyes still were the shocking shade of blue that stared up at her from the worn pages of the book of Nol. Her heart skipped a few beats and she stepped away from that ethereal sight.

"You're… real."

His eyes softened. "My dear, Raven. I've always been real, but I _am _human… for now."

"Where am I?"

"Technically we are in a space that exists nowhere and everywhere at the same time. That space that sits _between_ dimensions where I can exist as I am meant to be: human. But, the background you see is that of my chambers." He pulled off his vambraces around his forearms, placing them in a neat pile at the end of the overly large four poster bed sitting near the fireplace. "When I lived in the palace of Nol, these were my rooms and quarters. Although, I have to admit that the mosaic is a new addition of my own making."

"And I'm here because…?"

He looked at her, his expression saying nothing and everything at the same time.

"Oh." Raven blushed and stared down at her feet. "I…" She looked down at herself, clad in a pair of worn pajama bottoms and a mismatched tank top, feeling underdressed and ashamed that she didn't even have on a matching bra and panty set. "I didn't realize that tonight was a full moon." As a sorceress (of sorts) she should have been aware of things such as the phases of the moon. Had she been so enthralled with him that she hadn't even bothered to keep herself aware?

"A new moon, actually. The magic is a little more potent. I would not have brought up the last requirements of the spell if I did not think time was of the essence, Raven." He reached around and unlatched sections of his armor, emblazoned with the crest of his family. His eyes met hers and his expression softened as if he seemed to realize the harsh practicality of his words. "I know you're nervous, I did not mean to offend."

"I know." She felt her words slip out before she could filter them. "I just don't know what to do, or how to do it."

He muttered something under his breath that sounded like 'performance anxiety' and chuckled to himself. He removed his chest plate and mail, and bent down to take off the rest of his protective gear from his legs, leaving him only in black linen and leather. He looked much more built and sculpted than the armor let on, and Raven had to avert her eyes or the embarrassment would swallow her whole.

"I don't have to do anything tonight." His voice cut through their silence and he removed the protective mask from his jaw, exposing a perfectly shaped mouth marred only by a pale scar curling down his chin. Raven stared at his lips, suddenly realizing how much she longed to see his face it all of its glory. She was not disappointed. His lips looked like they could charm a snake. With a blush creeping across her cheeks, Raven wondered what else he could charm.

"I can wait until you are ready, Raven…" He moved to a small sideboard with a glass bottle holding a deep, red liquid. "You are already so powerful with my tutoring, waiting a while longer wouldn't harm the spell."

"No." Her response wavered against her chest and throat like a frightened bird. She looked at the floor before staring at his back. His movements halted slightly, as if her response surprised him, and he poured the liquid into two pewter cups before turning around to face her.

Raven looked in his eyes. "I want this."

"Are you sure?" He approached her with the cups in hand. "You must be sure, Raven. I do not wish to harm you in any way."

She nodded, trying to feel the determination that was hiding somewhere in her soul. Seeing him as he was intended to exist only made her desire for him deepen into an ache she couldn't describe. His eyes looked into the shadows of her soul and his lips held promises she had never dreamt about. Without a shadow of a doubt, she knew that this was the man she wanted to give herself to. On the surface, it might have been a means to the end of the spell, but in her heart it was because she loved him.

"For the spell or because…?" He let the question hang between them.

"Because I want to know…" She stumbled over her words before gathering the courage to express her feelings. "Because I like you, and I want to know what intimacy is like when it is shared with you. If I'm going to give you everything you want, then I want to enjoy it too."

"Are you sure, Raven? Once this is completed, there is no going back." His fingers tightened around the pewter cups in his hands. "I cannot return what has been taken from you, so if you have any doubts, tell me now."

"Will it hurt?" Raven didn't fear pain, but she feared not being able to complete the task because of it. She didn't want to disappoint him (or herself).

"A little… but not enough to detract from what we are sharing." He handed her one of the pewter cups in his hand. "Drink this. It will help relax you."

"What is it?" Raven brought it to her lips.

"Wine." He took a drink of his own glass, smiling as he watched her. "I firmly believe it to be the best medicine of all, and cure to almost all ailments - including nerves."

Raven smiled against the rim of her own glass, letting the sweet and tart liquid slide down her throat. It warmed her chest and belly with a burn that she couldn't quite describe, and she found herself taking another sip of the drink before she had completely savored the first. She pulled the cup away from her lips and looked up at him. "It's good."

"One of the best wines from my country." He moved towards the fireplace, and Raven felt compelled to follow. She admired his silvery-white hair as it spilled over his shoulders and down his back, creating such a strange juxtaposition with the crispness of his dark linen shirt; like silk and wool woven together. He leaned against the mantel for a moment, lost in thought as he stared at the flames of the fire.

Raven watched him with reserved curiosity, thinking that he looked like some kind of hero out of a romance novel; brooding and downtrodden and the only thing that would lift his spirits was the carnal feelings his lover would give him. She blushed at that image and looked away, embarrassed. He seemed to gather his wits and set himself down on an ornamental rug on the floor, strewn with large feather pillows.

Glancing over his shoulder at Raven, who was only inching forward, Malchior smiled and motioned for her to come closer. "Come sit down. We have all night to explore each other, there is no sense in rushing."

Raven felt her heart beat in her throat at his words, and she moved to join him on the intricate patterns of the carpet, her hand still gripping her pewter cup tightly. She took another drink and looked over at him staring into the fire, before gulping the rest of her wine without reservation. She was going to need all the courage she could find if she was going to go through with this.

"Is this your… first time?" Her words felt awkward and dry on her lips.

He turned to look at her, a smile curling the edges of those perfect lips. "No." Pause. "And yes."

Raven suddenly wished she had more wine. "I don't understand."

"It's not the first time I have engaged in sexual acts, but it is the first time I have been this… excited? Nervous?" He gave a soft, sheepish laugh and looked away, blushing. "I haven't ever met someone like you, Raven… I want this to be everything we've _both_ dreamed of."

"I… I want that too." In an uncharacteristically bold move, Raven leaned forward on her hands and closed the space between their lips. It was innocent and sweet, more like a prolonged peck than anything erotic, and she felt his shocked breath tickle her cheeks. Raven pulled away and looked up into his eyes, blushing. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me."

"Wine." Malchior laughed and curled his fingers under her chin. "If I had known that was all it took to please you, I would have brought you here a long time ago." He leaned back down to her mouth, his arms wrapping around her thin waist and pulling her to him.

This kiss was nothing like her own. It spoke of dark corners and whispered words that were more suited to carnal poetry than to wispy words of love. It tasted like wine and fire, and Raven felt herself going up in flames as something dangerous and unknown sped through her veins. Finding courage in her few drinks of wine, she nudged his lips open and slid her tongue into the dark sanctuary of his mouth. There was a moment's hesitation before he returned her ministrations somewhat awkwardly. He pulled away in shock and blinked down at her, gasping for breath as they stared at each other.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

"Did you not like it?"

He smiled down at her, excitement shining in his eyes. "Perhaps strange at first, but it is certainly an interesting and unusual sensation." He leaned back down, letting his lips not quite touch her own. "I imagine these skills I am learning from you could be used in other ways. There are lips that aren't always kissed."

Raven immediately knew what he implied, and her stomach clenched at the thought.

He nipped at her lips as his hands slid over the exposed skin on her shoulders and arms, until he ran his fingers over the swell of her breast and cupped it through the thin cotton of her tanktop. She mumbled unintelligible phrases against his hair, and he slid a thumb over her nipple, pausing his kisses to hear her whimper.

"I am anxious, Raven." He admitted between clenched teeth, trying to force his own emotions in check. "Desperate for your touch."

Raven ran her fingers down his back before her fist tightened in the folds of his linen shirt. Without any remorse, she pulled it over his head. When the barrier was gone between them, Raven allowed herself the pleasure of examining his body. He was thin and lanky, his muscles defined, but almost ropy against his frame. His skin caught the light of the fire behind them and shimmered like fine, pure-white silk. She had never wanted to touch anything more than she wanted to touch his body.

"You're staring, Raven."

"Sorry." She blushed and averted her eyes before she embarrassed herself anymore.

"Don't be." He grinned down at her and sat up, taking one of her pale hands in his own and drawing it down his chest. Raven felt his muscles twitch under her touch, and he drew even closer to her, exploring her mouth with his own again. Raven didn't think she would ever become bored with his spicy and exotic taste. Maybe it was the wine influencing her thoughts, but she felt like he was spoiling her with the most delicious kisses she had ever tasted.

She ran her fingertips down his back, enthralled with the feeling of his skin beneath her touch. He moaned into her mouth before pulling away to look into her eyes. "Careful, my dear Raven, you'll make me lose control much faster than I wish it."

"Oh. Um…" She looked away again, but her stare landed on the bulge that was protruding from his black linen breeches. The thin fabric left little to the imagination, and Raven suddenly found herself wondering how in the world he was going to fit. She swallowed and looked up into his eyes, trying to find words to express her concern.

"You seem nervous." He pulled her tank top off her body, and Raven scrambled to hold onto her modesty as she wrapped her arms around her chest. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her naked before, after all he caught glimpses of her body from both the pages of the book and when his paper visage was confined to the magic circle. But this was the first time that Raven knew he had the power and the physical body to actually do something with her, and in the realization, she began to feel inadequate. She was a hero first and foremost, and her body showed signs of scars and losses. It showed that she was active, that she was _sturdy_ and suited for kicking ass. It did not show that she was soft and round, and plump in all the places a woman should be.

"You're beautiful, Raven." He pulled at her arms, tugged until she let him move them to her sides, exposing her. "You have nothing to hide from me… I know all your secrets." He kissed her again, this time letting his tongue delve into the hollows of her mouth. Raven melted again, and she wrapped her arms around him, feeling her skin press against his own, hard chest. In her heart, Raven felt the wind rise to a hurricane, before it whipped through her veins, racing through her body to pool low in her stomach.

He palmed her breast, tracing the shape with his fingertips and finding all kinds of interesting hollows and secret shadows to delve into. Raven swept her eyes up to meet his own, and he smiled something wicked before leaning down and taking her breast into his mouth. He swirled his tongue over the nipple, making Raven cry out, gasping his name between clenched teeth. He nipped at her skin again before looking up at her. "This trick with my tongue that you taught to me is proving to be quite useful."

"You're a fast learner." Raven's head fell back against the rug and she stared up at the sparkling mosaic again, lost somewhere between the fantastical dream he had created and the reality that he was doing deliciously wicked things to her body. His mouth was moving down her sternum, foraying around her bellybutton before stopping at the top of her worn-out pajama pants. She felt his fingers dip into her waistband, and then he tugged the clothing downward.

Raven picked her head up just enough to look down at him, but he didn't seem all that interested with looking into her eyes. No, his gaze was much more intent on another part of her anatomy, and he licked his lips before lowering his mouth to the junction of her legs.

Raven cried out his name, her fingers gripping his shoulders as he tried out his newly learned skill on her body. She couldn't help but wonder what sort of demon she had created simply by showing him that his tongue could be used for much more than eating food. He slid his fingers into her center, pleasuring her with long, sure strokes, and the sensation (mingled with his mouth showing her clit no mercy) was enough to push her over the edge. She sobbed his name again, running her fingers through his silver locks. Her whole body felt like she had exploded into a million fragments, and Malchior was trying to catch the pieces and bring them back to her.

He lapped her up slowly, letting Raven bask in the afterglow of her first-ever orgasm, before dragging his mouth back up the planes and curves of her body. He moved to lay next to her, trailing random patterns over her stomach and chest as she attempted to form words to fill the silence. He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. "I think I enjoy this trick the most, Raven. Who knew the teacher could be taught?"

"I don't think I showed you that." She whispered into his tendrils of silver hair.

"You gave me the tools to explore… I learned the rest on my own." He chuckled and propped his head up on his elbow to stare down at her. "You're very responsive, did you know that?" He pressed his fingers into her body again, stoking her fire hotter and faster than he had before. "It makes figuring this out much easier."

Raven gasped again, her back arching off the floor as he continued to pleasure her without remorse. She groaned and let herself indulge in the sensations. How in the world did he manage to take her to a million degrees in just a few short seconds? He teased her for a few seconds more, and then leaned over her body again.

"I am anxious, Raven."

It was the statement reminding her that this experience was not just for her. She blushed and sat up, searching his eyes. He was in pain, pushed far past the point he should have, and Raven felt remorse for not giving into him sooner. She stood up and made her way to the bed, pulling back the dark, heavy covers to reveal the white sheets beneath. It was at the sight of the pure white sheets that she remembered the true reason she had come here: for the spell. Her blood was supposed to stain that pristine fabric.

"Don't fear this." His warm breath slid down her neck, whispering dark promises to her. "It is for the spell, Raven, but it is also because of your love for me. Trust me, Raven."

She turned around and looked into his eyes, nodding. "Okay."

"Good." He picked her small frame up in his arms and moved her into the center of the massive bed, crawling over her body.

Raven felt a multitude of unnamable sensations flowing through her as she looked up at his beautiful, pale face. He touched her skin again, trying to ease her fear and reservation. Each touch from him elicited a new response; a moan, a whimper, a cry into the darkness. He kissed down her neck and took her breast into his mouth again, one of his hands dipping beneath his linen breeches to stroke himself. Raven, fascinated by his body, watched in quiet awe until she pushed herself into a sitting position and reached out to touch him again.

She ran her hands over his chest, enjoying the feeling of the smooth planes of his body underneath her fingers. His muscles twitched as she trailed her nails down the sides of his lithe torso and dipped into the waist of his breeches. His breath hitched, caught in his throat as she moved closer to him, untying the knot holding the last barrier between them. With a single movement, she freed the rest of his body.

Nope.

That certainly wasn't at _all_ what she had expected.

Raven was no stranger to male anatomy, after all she was an avid reader of all kinds of text. And, much to her chagrin, Beast Boy was sometimes prone to bouts of nudity (or, as he put it, being one with nature). But nothing she had ever experienced could have prepared her for this. His linen breeches might have left little to the imagination, but even still, she could not fathom that his body looked like _that_. She pulled his clothing back up onto his waist and re-tied the knot before looking up at him.

"I do not know where you think that's going, but it's not going to fit."

To her surprise, he laughed at her. His fingers curled under her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. "And where do you propose I put it, Raven?" He leaned down and kissed her, nudging her mouth open to dip his tongue inside and taste her, subtly hinting that she was more than welcome to return the favor of using her own mouth.

Raven pulled away, a blush erupting on her cheeks again. "I don't know how this is going to work, Malchior. You can't possibly believe that will… fit."

He pulled off his breeches again and crawled over her body, his smile melting into seriousness. He stroked some of her hair from her face and leaned down to kiss her again. "I promise that it will only for a moment, and then I will take you to the stars… again," he added smugly. Raven gave a nervous nod and allowed him closer to her, feeling as if she were signing her life away. Malchior's lips covered her own and he spread her legs tenderly before aligning his body with her own. He muttered an apology into her skin and thrust forward, burying his head into the crook of her neck.

Raven screamed, her body instinctively trying to put space between them. She pushed at his chest, but he tried to remain as still as possible, tried to allow her to adjust to the new and foreign sensation of being filled. She struggled for a moment, listening to his apologies in a multitude of languages, and feeling his fingers trace her body, trying to offer her some kind of comfort through the pain. It didn't do the situation any good, and she continued to fight him, pushing against his chest with her arms in order to put space between them.

Raven cursed against his chest, and with a frustrated sigh, he removed himself from her. He stared between their bodies, looking at the blood caused from their unsuccessful intercourse. He pulled back even farther and used a pristine white handkerchief to wipe the blood from her body with almost reverence. He folded the stained cloth into a neat square and set it on the bedside table before returning to the warmth under the covers with Raven.

"I'm sorry." She felt shame course through her, embarrassed that pain had been the overarching factor in her decision to stop him. "I should have been more prepared."

Malchior drew her into his body and wrapped his arms around her. "I won't lie, I am somewhat disappointed, but that doesn't mean that you should be ashamed of what happened. You are… _small_, Raven. I don't imagine that my body would be gentle to your own, and I don't want to have you in pain if I can avoid it." He kissed the top of her head and rested his chin on her plum strands. "We'll try some other time, and besides… we have what we need for the spell."

Oh. Right. The spell. She had momentarily forgotten that was the primary reason behind their mating. Something about defining the harsh practicality of the act and removing the romance from their intercourse made her feel strange, as if there was a pit deep in her stomach gnawing at her. She turned and looked over at Malchior, but he had already fallen into a light slumber, his fingers tightening in her hair.

Swallowing her fear, she closed her eyes and felt herself drift into a dreamless sleep.

)O(

_So, this should have one, maybe two, more chapters and it's done. I received a story request for an M-rated Mal/Raven story from BlueBird722 based on a certain set of criteria that will unfold a little more next time. Hopefully I didn't (and don't) disappoint. _

_Anyway, thanks for reader, let me know what you think. _


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